Inking device



I INKING DEVICE Original Filed March 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 26, 1928. 1,675,104

-A. IELFIELD INKING DEVICE Original Filed March 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 26, 1928.

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE;

AUGUST IELFIELD, F SILLVER CREEK, NE! YORK, ASSIGN-OR TO THE IIlLCFIELD POSTAL SUPPLY CO. INC., 01 SILVER GREEK, NEW YORK, ACORPORATION' OF NEW YORK.

INKING nnvron Original application filed March 22, 1926, Serial No. 96,425. Divided and this application filed March 31,

1927. Serial No. 179,889.

This invention relates to an inking device for use on a machine for marking mail matter suchzas letters, postcards and the like.

It is the object of this invention to provide improved means whereby the ink roller of the printing wheel may be easily and conveniently replenished with ink when required while the machine is running. y

This application isa divisonof. a plic'ation. filed March 22, 1926, Serial. umber 96,425.

s In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top 'plan view of a mail marking machine embodying my improved inking device.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of the machine, on an enlarged scale, showing the inking mechanism with the cover of the ink fountainremoved. .7 50 Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line 44,,Fig. 2.-

Figure 5 is a perspective view of theshift- 25 ing lever storming part of the inking mechamsm.

nSimilar characters of, reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings. l

' The numeral represents the feed table having a supplyportion 21 upon which the letters 23 or other mail matter to be marked or canceled are stacked edgewise, and a' receiving portion 24 upon which the mail matteris stacked after receiving the. post mark or canceling stamp.

Arranged lengthwise above the teed table is a guide wall having a rear section 25 against which the pile of uncanceledletters are pressed by a bar or follower 26, and; front section, 27 from which the letters are successively pushed away by a stacking wheel 28. I

In front of the supply portion of the table is arranged a transverseguide wall 32 which is separated at its inner end from the longitudinal guide wall section 25 by a separating passage 33 through which the letters move from thesupply stack to the mechanism which marks the letters and stacks the same. 7

ing belt 34 which passes with its rear turn around a pulley 35 and'its' front turn around a pulley '36 these pulleys being mounted on upright shafts. 37, 38 carried by the feed table. Immediately in front of the p 33 the letters are engagedby opposite sidesby two" separating wheels 39, 4O which continue the forward movement ofthe foremost letter but hold back the succeeding letters of the supply stack.

Arranged len ning the gap between the same is theoper-- ative stretch 41 of a carrying belt which passessvith its rear turn around a pulley 42, with" its front turn around, a pulley '43 and with its return stretch around a driving wheel '44; The latter is mounted on an upright shaft 45 journaled on the table and may be turned by a'hand p we I In front of the separating wheels 39,40 the carrying belt is engaged on its opposite sides by a pair of rear guide rollers 48, 49and in rear of the stack section of the table the carryingbelt is engaged on opopsite sides; I by a pair of front'guide rollers'50, 51.

hwise bf the faces of the longitudinal guide wall sectionsand span-- crank 46 or by the letter and impress a cancelling or postmark thereon while this letter is supported oncits opposite side by'the carrying belt which latter at this point is supportedon its back by a supporting roller 54;

"The means for inking the printingsurface of the printing roll shown in the drawings and embodying my inventionare constructed as follows g The numeral 7 9 represents an ink delivery roller which is pivotally mounted on the table or other available support and engages with the periphery of the printing wheelso that the same makes a legible impression on the letter to be marked. Adjacent to the outer side of this inking roller is arranged an ink fountain which is arranged on a recess 81 in the table and provided with a lug 82 which is secured to the upper side of this table. The upper side of this fountain is closed by a cover 83 and detachably connected with the lug 82 by a screw 84 passing throu h a lug 85 on the cover On its inner side t e cover 83 is provided with an opening 86 which receives the outer part of the inking roller, as shown in Fig. 3. Arranged within the fountain and the cover is an ink feeding disk 87 which turns about a horizontal axis whereby its margin is caused to pick up ink contained in the fountain or reservoir and deposit the same on said inking wheel. During this operation the lower peripheral part of the inking disk sweeps through the inksupply and the inner side of its upper part engages with the inking roller and deposits the ink thereon; For the purpose of enabling the inking roller to be thus supplied. with ink at will when required means are provided for moving the inking disk axially into and out of engagement with the periphery of the inking roller. This is preferably accomplished by rotatably mounting the inking disk on a shaft or arbor 88 which is supported on the upper part of the fountain so that theinking disk can slide lengthwise thereon, this sliding motion being preferably effected by a hub 89 arranged on the inking disk and provided with an annular groove 90,: and a shifting lever 91 provided with a fork 92 engaging. with the groove of this hub. This lever has one end pivoted in recess 93 at one end of the fountain and its other end passes through a horizontal slot 94 between the cover and ink fount 80 and provided externally thereof with a handle 95 for manipulating the same. When free the inking-disk is yieldingly held in engagement with the periphery of the inking roller by a spring 96 surrounding the shaft 88 and interposed between the hub 89 and theadjacent wall of the fountain, as

shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When in this position the inking disk is turned by frictional contact with the inking roller so that ink is constantly lifted from the fountain to the inking roller. Upon moving the inking disk away from the inking roller by means of the shifting lever the rotation of the inking disk and its'feedingaction ceases. The ink in roller is held out'of engagement from the in ing disk by engaging the outer arm of the shifting lever with a hold out shoulder 97 formed on the upper edge of the ink fountain which forms the lower side of the slot 94.

This inking mechanism permits of very conveniently and thoroughly supplying ink to the roller which inks the printing wheel, thereby enabling the post marking to be effected uniformly and economically.

I claim as my invention:

1. An inking device for mail marking machines comprising a printing wheel, and means for inking said wheel including an ink roller engaging with said printing wheel,

an ink fountain, an ink feeding disk adapted to pickup the ink from sa d fountain and transfer the same to'said rollerand a lever for' shifting said disk toward and from i wheel, an ink fountain, "an ink feeding disk adapted to pick up the ink from said fountain and transfer the same to said roller,

and means for moving said disk toward and from said roller including a lever connected with said disk, a spring for moving the disk against the roller-and a lock for holding the lever ina position inwhioh the disk is disengaged from saidroller,

3. An inking device for mail markingmzr chines comprising. a pr ntlng wheel, and

means for inking said wheel includingvan ink roller engaging with said printing wheel, an ink fountain, an ink feeding disk adapted to pickup the ink from said fountain and transfer the same to'said roller, and means for moving said disk toward and from said roller comprising a hub arranged on'said disk and provided with anannular groove, a spring engaging said hub and.

tending to move the disk toward said roller, and a shifting lever having a i i with said groove.

chines comprising a printing wheel, and means for inking said wheel including'an inkroller engaging with said printing wheel, an ink fountain, an ink feeding disk adapted to pick up the ink from said fountain and transfer the same to said roller, and means for movingsaid disk toward andfrom said roller comprising a hub arranged on said disk and provided with an annular groove,

a springengaging said hub and tendingto move the disk toward said roller, a shifting lever having a fork engaging with said groove said fountain being provided on one side with afulcrum notchwhich receives'one end of said shiftinglever and a shoulder on fork engaging a H 4. An inking devicefor mail marking maitsopposite side which is adapted to be engaged vby said lever forholding the lever in a position in which the ink feedingwdisk is out of engagementfrom said inking roller.

' 5. An inking device for mail marking machines comprising a. printing wheel, and means for inking said wheel including an ink roller engaging with said printing wheel, an ink fountain, an ink feeding disk adapted to pick u the ink from said fountain and trans er the same to said roller, .and means for" moving said disk toward and from said roller oomprovided with a slot through which said prising a hub arranged on said disk and lever projects to the exterior of the founprovided with an annular groove, a spring tain.

engaging said hub and tending to move the In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my 5 disk toward said roller, a shifting lever havsignature.

ing a fork engaging with said groove and a cover over said fountain, disk andelever and AUGUST IELFIELD. 

